Persimmon on the march with ‘volunteer army’

The York-based firm has encouraged hundreds of staff to register for the Persimmon Voluntary Programme to “help the country through the difficult weeks ahead”.

In order to protect the health of its employees, Persimmon has taken the decision to undertake an orderly shutdown of work and temporarily close its sales offices across the country.

All Persimmon staff currently not working their usual pattern remain on full pay. These employees are being encouraged to use the time to offer voluntary support to vital services.

Dave Jenkinson, chief executive of Persimmon, said: “I know many of our staff will want to support the country and vulnerable people through this crisis and that is why we launched the Persimmon Voluntary Programme.

“Staff who are not working their usual pattern are registering to be placed on a central database confirming they are prepared to carry out voluntary work to support local communities.

“We are absolutely thrilled that so many people have stepped forward. We now have hundreds of volunteers available for local charities, the NHS and communities to call upon.”

To call on the support of the Persimmon Volunteers, email requirements should be sent to: [email protected]

The firm has become one of the largest companies to sign Justine Greening’s C-19 Business Pledge. The C-19 Business Pledge is targeting not just the immediate challenges of coronavirus, but also the challenges of recovery.

By signing the document, Persimmon said it has vowed to support its own employees, offer clear advice to customers and provide practical help for communities.

As part of that commitment, Persimmon is supporting groups which benefit people aged over-70 with £64,000 of grants every month through its Community Champions scheme.

Community Champions has run since 2015, giving away two grants of £1,000 in each of the company’s 32 operating regions every month. It has been decided that the money will be targeted at over-70s groups for the foreseeable future.

Persimmon has also committed to supporting under-18s through its Building Futures programme which has just re-launched. As part of its sponsorship of Team GB, the firm will donate more than £1m to support children in sport, health and education.

Applications for Community Champions and Building Futures can be made at: www.persimmonhomes.com/charity